In building construction, it is often necessary to thread a cable through a wall into an outlet or other pre-drilled opening (speaker location, etc.). This can occur for a number of different types of cables, such as a coaxial, optical, fiber, phone, speaker wire, CAT-5, CAT-6, and the like.
Traditionally, cable installers would simply push an end of the cable through the opening and hope the end reached the intended destination. This practice relies on the rigidity of the cable to push through any obstacles within the wall, such as insulation or construction debris, and often requires multiple attempts to push the cable. This practice increases installation time due to the trial and error, and can often lead to damaged or bent cables.
Tools used to thread cables through long spans or conduits, such as fish tape, are not appropriate for shorter spans like walls due to the flexibility required of the fish tape and the length of the long span tool. Moreover, existing tools typically have a generic end on which the cable is taped, or different attachments for each type of cable to be threaded. Applying and removing tape, or switching out different attachment ends is time consuming and labor-intensive.
Therefore, there is a need for a universal tool for easily inserting and pulling a communications cable through interior and exterior walls.